IN & OUT OF LH - Part III

DESSERT

The topping of it all is the locations of the acacia forest (popularly called the PANCHARAKKAD) right outside the gates of LH. All the LH-ites have been in the Pancharakkad once at least, be it with friends to while away the time or to play street (or rather, forest) cricket or to hold impromptu food fests or for WiFi access or for combined study (...what??!! ;) ). The reasons would be numerous, each one of the LH-ites would have fond memories regarding the sugar forest. My most cherished memories include the time when my best friend sent me on a treasure hunt to find my birthday present inside the pancharakkad and when I had a birthday celebration with my classmates inside the forest. The place has a certain magic about it which cannot be explained any which way.

BILL (SOMETHING UNASKED FOR)

A lot many changes have occurred after I left the LH and became a daysci again (as far as I am concerned, the new warden & his rules can go take a hike) but still parting has its own pain... Moving away from this family.. this home which sheltered us, saw us laugh & cry.. held us close for a short while.. how does it feel?

When you want time to stop so that you can capture and hold each one of the many memories close to your heart, it seems to fly away faster. As an LH-ite for a year, I too yearn to hold onto these memories as my batchmates and I step forward to face the unknown future.

All the Best to all of us... Adios!!! Until we meet again....

PS: Nothing beats mom’s cooking though (my friends know this) !!! J

IN & OUT OF LH - Part II

MAIN COURSE

Life in LH... What to say.. It had been a wonderful period of my life. The best thing about living in a hostel is that you get to share both joys and sorrows with those around you & know that they care for you...that even small things like a frown would be noticed...a sort of a support net develops without you being aware of it. One of the most memorable things (of the many to follow) about LH is the surprise B’DAY PARTIES and all the stunts one has to do before the party. It is the effort and the care behind it which brings tears to the eyes. Certainly made me a wee bit emotional during my first and only B’day party in LH.

Another thing which I’d never forget is the level of camaraderie and competitiveness during the ARTS WEEK. Man!! The corri spirit comes out in full force during the time whether it be getting ready for the numerous events or booing the other corri participants or even lashing out at obvious partiality in judgements. On almost all the days during Arts week, it is absolutely inevitable that one goes to sleep only around 2 or 3 in the morning.

After living in B-Corri, how can I not mention the mad scramble for FOOD which later came to be known as one of the identifying feature of LH-ites? Be it Maggi (mmm...all those midnight snacks still make my mouth water!!!) or food sneaked away from the mess, when you are hungry, kuch bhi chalega yaar!!!!

Something which keeps all LH-ites on tenterhooks months before the event is the LH DAY. Tensions do flare up on the days leading to the finale and emotions run high when the expected level of perfection is not reached... I’ve got to hand it to the LH-ites for creating a mix of thought provoking as well as entertaining programmes on the day. The LH day passes are hot commodity among the guys though from my point of view, they do miss out a lot on the late night DJ party... People, the energy is absolutely AMAZING!!! It doesn’t matter if you are a good dancer or not, the sole aim is to have fun & letting loose is what is done best during the time. Around 5am or so after the late night movie, everyone walks like zombies to any room and falls asleep within microseconds.

MESS DUTY- Initially you think it is a chore, but truly it is one big bore.. a waste of time when you could do more useful things like sleep or (shudder!!!!) attend classes. It is an inherent part of the LH memories repertoire so I guess it should deserve mention.

Now, how could I not mention the GB (for the unknown, the General Body Meeting) where the G.Sec (General Secretary) and her minions get bashed from one end to the other by the more experienced and respectable seniors. Forgive me, if I may seem a bit forward, but here I would like to add the suggestion that the Hostel Union should include a couple of the Final years (to supervise & guide the union) as giving complete authority to the 3^rd years after 2 years of almost total silence can be a heady thing which some may not be able to handle (due to lack of maturity, I suppose). Whatever is said during the GB should be left at that, not spill over into friendliness in the different corris.

The basic purpose of why we all joined such a top college is for the ACADEMICS. This is visible only on the day before the series or a couple of days before the university exams. Hostel life, particularly B.Tech hostel life really helps you to make the most out of time – be it multitasking (like chatting on the phone & completing records) or last minute study before an exam. Time management as well as sleep management begins here. Rushing to the bathroom just 10 mins before 9 and still reaching class before attendance is taken at 9.15 is a skill the hosteliers can say they have honed to perfection J (me included, lol).

Studies aside, I should mention all the various FESTIVALS celebrated : Onam (i love the oonjal), Deepavali, Ramzan (fasting is fun, if you are one among many) & the numerous parties like Corri parties, farewell parties, the occational outings, all of which helps in bridging the senior – junior gaps. When I was in LH, I made a lot of friends, both seniors and my batchmates and all the memories, both good and bad are dear to me..creating a feeling of apnaapan...

IN & OUT OF LH - Part 1

When my friends asked me to write an article, they understood that my experiences will certainly be unique. Initially a daysci (1^st year), then an LH ite (2^nd year) and finally back to a daysci (3^rd & final year). Though it had been circumstances which brought me into the family of LH-ites, I enjoyed every little moment being a hostelier. Had I not spent the 1 year in LH, I would say I had sorely missed something.

APPETIZER

I still remember the stares from the seniors which held the question, “ who the heck is this 1^st year, how dare she encroach upon the senior corri?” The room allotted to me was in B-Corri (one of the fun filled as well as kinda nerdy corri, I’d say), room number 20. My first roommate was Pooja Abraham (affectionately called Poochamma), a Thesis archi. She had been a very helpful roomie and put me at ease with my surroundings quite quickly. The first night in LH particularly in a corri filled with seniors for a 1^st year (as I was then) can be quite nerve wracking. (My fellow batchmates were yet to shift from the 1^st year corri’s after re allotment). My mother, after dropping me off and all the necessary advices had given me a fast food packet which I happily(??) relinquished during my corri intro. Though I’d never trade it for anything else, it was quite a terrifying experience. (It’s like being the piece of meat in the middle of a lair of hungry lion(esse)s.. ) While at the receiving end of the jokes and ribbing, I met all of them with whom I was to spent the following year. Simi chechi-sweet & cuddly though initially I was the most afraid of her; Sreeja chechi-the gadget queen on B-corri; Binsira itha- then the G.sec; Neetha Das a.k.a Daasappan-our very own electronics geek; Ganga chechi and Renu chechi-the archi’s and finally the two who became my roommates after Poochamma: Kanchana Chechi & Jisha Chechi (JJC). JJC was more of a daysci than me (J), nearly always in her LG (local guardian)’s place. Kanchi & Darshu chechi were my two big sisters in hostel. They were the ones I spent time with, who took care of me and I guess got to know me the best. And ofcourse there are my classmates who were my LH mates also: maja, neethu ku, k.t, malu, chinju, & akhila.. Kudos to us all.

Life With My Friend....!

Life feels so much better and beautiful when he is around...

Colours seem so much brighter and lighter when he is around to point out the sights...

The senses respond much more actively during the times they sense his presence nearby...

Burden on my shoulders feel bearable and very insignificant when he is there to share them...

The obstacles along the path look minuscule if he is there to catch me when I stumble...

Laughter seem so much natural and less pasted upon when it’s something he does to cheer me up...

Time stands still when it is him who keeps me company...

I find myself being me... no burdens of expectations, no recriminations, no feeling guilty, no apologising for who I am... whatsoever when I am with him...

Does this mean I love him?? I don’t know... All I know is that I love the freedom being with him brings me... Before others I am but a shadow of myself nowadays – withdrawn, aloof, locking away a part of myself without anyone being none the wiser. Am I completely the opposite with him? No.. but I am less like the shadow and more me, when I am with him. He has helped me free a part of myself which I had always kept controlled within me... A part of myself which scared me... He gave me a shot at freedom. Who is HE?? He is my friend. The friend who I will miss much more than myself...

There are times when I wonder why I’m making this difficult for myself. Would it be better if I alienate myself from everything and everyone? With no memories whatsoever to miss when I look back? My befuddled brain thinks that at times... The optimist in me refuses to accept that. It wants to stock up on the memories to last for a lifetime. Live life like there is no tomorrow, it says. Which would be better? Gosh!! Life is as complicated as you make it to be...

Curiosity Kill(ed?) the Cat..

This is a kind of public apology to my good friend for encroaching upon his privacy.

A short story...

There once was a kitten named Sheeba. She was a very curious sort of a cat, as most cats are. She had a very good friend, a lion cub named Zafraan. Both of them were quite comfortable with each other and quite happy as well as secure in their strong friendship. Sheeba was quite a naughty female and was always into all sorts of mischief. Zafraan, on the other hand was quite a trustworthy but serious cub. One could say that he was the one who kept Sheeba from going over the line of mischief.

Sometime back, Zafraan had to leave the sanctuary where both of them were held to visit the vet. Before going, he gave his prized secret box, which opened only upon entering only his hair into a slot, to Sheeba for safekeeping. Sheeba did not know the mechanism of the box, nor did she know what was inside it. Before leaving, Sheeba asked Zafraan how to open the box. Zafraan replied that it was something related to him and that if she was capable, try and open the box. Saying so, Zafraan left.

As the saying goes, “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.” Sheeba set about trying to find the way to open the box. She tried hitting it with stones, getting the woodpecker to break it open, anything and everything. All to no avail... She was about to give up hope when she stumbled upon Zafraan’s diary. While flipping through it, she came upon the mechanism of the box. Obtaining a lock of his hair was an easy enough task. She opened the box and what should be inside?

Inside was a collection of firefly cocoons and some mature fireflies. When Sheeba opened the box, many of them flew out and escaped and only a few of the cocoons were left. Sheeba did not know what to do. She felt amused that a lion cub of Zafraan’s stature would want to play with fireflies. She left the box and went about frolicking.

The next day Zafraan arrived back at the sanctuary and went straight to Sheeba to get the box. Sheeba said she had opened the box and started making fun of Zafraan. As Zafraan opened the box, he realised that Sheeba had spoiled everything which he had been working for quite a few months. Zafraan had collected the fly eggs and was planning to surprise his brothers and sisters with on their birthday with the mature fireflies. Zafraan felt downhearted about the whole thing and he became reserved around Sheeba. As for Sheeba, she realised that she shouldn’t have opened the box, shouldn’t have let her curiosity lead her astray. Sheeba apologized profusely to Zafraan, though what good it will come of it, will have to be seen later.Will Sheeba’s curiosity kill their friendship? I sincerely hope not. I do agree that Sheeba was one wicked witchy kitten, she never meant any harm. She meant it as a prank and never thought about the repercussions of her act. And she wouldn’t make fun of Zafraan about the fireflies ever again.

To my friend, I hope my mischief, doesn’t put a strain on our friendship. I truly am SORRY.